Bilbo Baggins and the Hero Cycle

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Transcript of Bilbo Baggins and the Hero Cycle

Bilbo Baggins and The Hero Cycle in The Hobbit By: Andrew CopaFor: Studies in TolkienMr. Urban5/22/13 Bilbo's Call to Adventure -Bilbo was called to his adventure when Gandalf came to his house in Hobbiton to ask him on a quest. -In the novel Gandalf says, :"I will go as far as to send you on this adventure...very good for you-and profitable too, very likely, if you ever get over it"(Tolkien 19). Bilbo's Refusal of the Call -Almost without thinking Bilbo denies the call to adventure from Gandalf as shown in the scene. Bilbo makes the call sound like a joke and he doesn't seem to really think it over because Hobbits don't do much. -Bilbo's direct quote of his denial comes when he states, "Sorry! I don't want any adventures, thank you. Not today" (Tolkien 19). Bilbo's Supernatural Aid -Gandalf is Bilbo's supernatural aid because he guides Bilbo throughout the journey including convincing him to come along with the Dwarves with his great resilience. The Crossing of the First Threshold -Bilbo crosses the threshold when he agrees to go on the journey with the Dwarves and leaves Hobbiton, possibly for good. What lays beyond Hobbiton is unknown for Bilbo. On page 41 of The Hobbit, it reads, "To the end of his days Bilbo could never remember how he found himself outside, without a hat, walking stick or any money..." (Tolkien 41). Bilbo in The Belly of the Whale -Bilbo enters the belly of the whale when he enters the caves deep under the Misty Mountains and meets Gollum. When he leaves Bilbo is a new man with new found confidence after he has survived his first true ordeal. Bilbo's Road of Trials Bilbo went through many trials including being trapped by the wargs, being trapped by spiders, and being trapped in Mirkwood. In all three circumstances the dwarves and Bilbo are able to escape with the escape from Mirkwood and the spiders being thanks to Bilbo. In this story, Tolkien writes, "Things were looking pretty bad again, when suddenly Bilbo appeared and charged into the astonished spiders unexpectedly from the side...they had changed their opinion of Mr. Baggins very much, and had begun to have a great respect for him" (Tolkien 162-163). This is further proof of the metamorphosis that Bilbo endured in the Misty Mountains as even the Dwarves see a strong man now in Bilbo. Meeting the Goddess??? -Through my reading of the novel I saw that in no way does Bilbo meet a goddess like character along the way. Rather, I see that as Bilbo changed in the Misty Mountains he came out a self determined man. Bilbo's inner courage that he finds with Gollum is his motivation to go on. Bilbo's Temptation -Throughout the novel, due to the fact that he is a Hobbit, Bilbo feels tempted to revert to his Hobbit ways and return home to sleep and eat all day. On page 256 while in the midst of a conversation with Bard and the elvenking, Bilbo says, "Really you know,...things are impossible. Personally I am tired of the whole affair. I wish I was back in the west in my own home, where folk are more reasonable" (Tolkien 256). Atonement with the Father - At the point of the story where Bilbo finds atonement with the father, he has just given the Arkenstone to Bard. While walking back, Gandalf, who has been gone since Mirkwood, returns. Bilbo was worried about whether or not his decision was the right one but Gandalf assures him that he did the right thing. -After witnessing Bilbo's actions, Gandalf states, "Well done! Mr. Baggins!...There is always more about you than anyone expects" (Tolkien 258). This quote shows how Bilbo comes to recognition that his actions were like what Gandalf would have done. He realizes that they are closer than he would have believed, for the new, courageous Bilbo has little to fear. Bilbo and Apotheosis -As a character Bilbo never really develops a divine rank. Bilbo never does anything that is impossible other than disappear which comes from the ring.-Rather, one could say that Bilbo develops the strength and courage to fight in the last battle which would have been thought of as being impossible for most Hobbits.

This new found ability is described by Thorin on his death bed when he states, "There is more in you of good than you know, child of the kindly West. Some courage and some wisdom, blended in measure" (Tolkien 273). The Ultimate Boon -Bilbo's final return home is the ultimate boon.-In the end we realize Bilbo's true goal was to test himself and see what he was made of and his return home was the completion of his difficult task with ease, showing his courage and will power that he found along the way. In his final quote of the book, Gandalf says to Bilbo, "You don't really suppose, do you, that all of your adventures and escapes were managed by mere luck, just for your sole benefit? You are a very fine person, Mr. Baggins, and I am very fond of you; but you are only quite a little fellow in a wide world after all!" (Tolkien 287). This quote shows that Bilbo's actions were of the highest quality even though he is just one man. Bilbo was destined to make a difference and he did. Bilbo Baggins is a Hero http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jDHKPZf_mx4/T-fj_J2sUfI/AAAAAAAAAGI/ZKKC2kdQ3Gg/s1600/back_to_the_shire_by_koramae-d36556o.jpgThe Hobbit Soundtrack by Howard Shorehttp://scifimafia.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Hobbit-AUJ-21-Bilbo-Gandalf-Bag-End-outside.jpg<https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=4ml8lye_Ql8>http://wp.patheos.com.s3.amazonaws.com/blogs/philfoxrose/files/2012/12/the-hobbit-bilbo-horse.jpg<http://www. youtube.com/watch?v=_v233mtGb_k><http://www. youtube.com/watgt5ZVeRJc>http:/chttp://bite-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/gollum.jpghttp://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7zajatjiI1qmxaa8o1_500.jpghttp://lotrproject.com/thehobbit/maphttp://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ut_Jm7uAuE/USA6FhAgmrI/AAAAAAAAAv0/naSAEXrXsX4/s1600/Into_the_Mirkwood_by_thalion_art.jpghttp://farm9.staticflickr.com/8202/8265304685_8df4792eaa_z.jpghttp://hdwallpapercollection.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/the-hobbit-gandalf-wallpaper.jpghttp://images.wikia.com/lotr/images/a/a4/Bilbo_Baggins_(2).jpg Works Cited